Vape Cartridges: Everything You Need To Know

October 25, 2021

One unique factor of the vaping industry is the constant evolution. Every year, it seems there are a plethora of new devices that are suitable for seasoned vape enthusiasts and those who recently switched to vaping. That said, many people favour simplicity over trendy products.

Vape cartridges offer a simple yet satisfactory vape experience for all users. Not only are they easy to use, but they also offer a smooth throat hit with minimal raspiness.

Continue reading below to learn everything you need to know about vape cartridges, including their construction, their uses, and the pros and cons. 

What Is a Vape Cartridge?

Vaping products are devices used to deliver flavours, chemicals, nicotine, and other substances. They consist of various components, one of them being a cartridge. 

You'll typically find vape cartridges on several types of vapes, including pens, e-cigarettes, and custom mods.

The cartridge is responsible for holding the e-liquid. Some vape mods come with pre-filled cartridges, where others are refillable. 

The cartridge combines with an atomiser, which is the heating component that converts the e-liquid into vapour. 

Other parts of the cartridge include a mouthpiece and a chamber. The mouthpiece is at the top of the cartridge and where you put your lips to inhale the vapour. The chamber is what stores the e-liquid. 

How Does a Vape Cartridge Work? 

While the vape cartridge is an essential component, it's only half the magic of how a vape mod works. The cartridge needs to combine with a battery to produce vapour. The battery produces heat, which allows the e-liquid inside the cartridge to vaporise. 

Vape batteries come in various shapes and sizes. You can find pens with a moderate battery or some that are much more powerful. Although a vape comes with numerous components, the battery and cartridge are the most essential. 

Above, we mention that the atomiser, sometimes called a clearomiser, is responsible for heating the cartridge. It gets its power via the battery and heats a filament, which is a thin wire coil. The technology for filaments is similar to early filament lamps, in which the wire would heat up once an electric current passed through it and cause the bulb to emit light. 

In the case of vape devices, instead of light, the heated coil produces energy. The coil sends the energy into the cartridge chamber and vaporises the liquid inside. 

Once you've got heat, you can place the cartridge between your lips using the mouthpiece to inhale the vapour. 

What Are the Benefits of Vape Cartridges?

Many people enjoy vapes that use cartridges, and for good reasons. Here are some of the top benefits of vape cartridges. 

Convenience

If you're someone that's after convenience, then look no further than a vape cartridge pen. All types of devices are portable, but none more so than the vape pen. It can typically fit right in your pocket. What's more, the device is compact, and nobody will even know that you have it with you. 

To use a vape cartridge pen, all you need to do is attach it to your battery, and you're ready to start blowing those puffy clouds. Some devices come with a nifty push-button set-up. Other pens don't require any buttons and react as soon as you start inhaling. 

Pre-filled cartridges are even easier to use since they don't require you to add e-liquid. Your device comes to you, ready for use as soon as you open the package. 

Consistent Quality

When you use some vape mods, you can get inconsistent quality with each throat hit. You never have to worry about that if you're using a pre-filled vape cartridge. Almost all cartridges come with a fixed amount of nicotine or with none at all. 

Depending on your preference, you can find a flavour and strength that fits all your needs. Modern vapes have e-liquids in a vast range of flavours. Once you find a flavour you like, you can enjoy the same quality every time you load a new cartridge. 

Availability

Vape products have become increasingly popular over the last decade. You can find a wide variety of vape cartridges both online and in stores. 

Most reputable retailers will have detailed descriptions of their products, including flavours, ingredients, and nicotine content. Always look for real customer reviews if you're purchasing vape cartridges online.

What Are the Drawbacks of Vape Cartridges?  

Cartridges tend to be reliable. However, there are a few drawbacks that make some people prefer mods. 

Chance of Defects

While it's uncommon for vape cartridges to be defective, it does happen. Sometimes, the cartridge won't work due to some electrical conductivity issues with the device. The cartridge can also not work if something is blocking the components after regular use. 

Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence, and most people don't experience any defects when using a vape pen. 

Slight Learning Curve

Those who have recently switched to vaping will have to go through a slight learning curve before getting used to their new device. 

One thing people struggle to adapt to is the strength of nicotine. The average nicotine content in e-cigarettes is between 0.5-15 mg per 15 puffs. Some people who have recently taken up vaping may find the pens to be quite harsh. 

In that case, you can opt for an e-liquid with zero nicotine content. 

That said, in terms of usability, there is almost no learning curve. Pen vapes that use cartridges don't have a complex setup. Some only contain a simple button that you push to create vapour, where others only require you to inhale. 

Maintenance

If you want your device to last a while, you'll need to take good care of it. Although some vapes are disposable cartridges, most pens and mods require regular cleaning and maintenance. You'll also need to ensure you don't expose your device to water or extreme weather. 

The upside is that most of the devices are durable and won't break after a few drops. As long as you are moderately careful, you should be able to enjoy your vape for as long as you need it. 

Limited Experience

While this isn't a drawback for every user, vape cartridges tend to be more limited than other mods. 

Mods are modifiable, meaning you can tailor your experience and the device itself. A pen or pod mod lets you choose your flavours, but you can't adjust the battery power or other components. As a result, the reduced modifiability can affect things like the amount of vapour or the throat hit. 

How to Open a Vape Cartridge

PLEASE NOTE: RELX vape cartridges are non-refillable. Attempting to refill a RELX vape cartridge may cause permanent damage to your device.

Let's say you have a refillable vape cartridge and want to load some new e-liquid. To do so, you'll first need to know how to open your cartridge without damaging any of the components. Some sophisticated vapes can appear quite intimidating, but opening the cartridge is typically straightforward. 

Most vape cartridges allow you to unscrew them via the mouthpiece. Try turning your mouthpiece a few times clockwise to see if it starts to loosen. Make sure to have a paper towel handy in case there's some excess e-liquid that spills out. 

How to Refill a Vape Pen Cartridge

PLEASE NOTE: RELX vape cartridges are non-refillable. Attempting to refill a RELX vape cartridge may cause permanent damage to your device.

Refilling your vape pen cartridge with a new e-juice flavour is equally straightforward. However, before you start unscrewing your cartridge to refill the e-liquid, you should understand that not all vape devices have the same anatomy.

Although most vape pens look similar, they also have unique features, depending on if they are first, second, third, or fourth generation. Some devices use a specific cartridge that requires a specific method of opening and refilling. It helps if you still have the product box nearby to see if there are any instructions on how to refill the cartridges correctly. 

Keeping these caveats in mind, here are the general steps for refilling cartridges.

Step 1) Remove the Mouthpiece

The first step is unscrewing the mouthpiece. If you find that you can't remove the mouthpiece, likely, your device doesn't use refillable cartridges. 

Step 2) Fill Your Cartridge With Your Favourite E-Liquid

Reach for your new e-liquid and get ready to fill the cartridge. Some e-juice containers come with a built-in baster that makes it easier to transport the juice from the container into your vape. If yours doesn't have a baster, you can use a simple syringe.

Gently press the syringe until the juice reaches the maximum fill line. If your device doesn't have a max fill line, most cartridges can carry up to 1 gram of e-liquid. 

Step 3) Put the Mouthpiece Back On

Once your cartridge is full of e-liquid, it's time to put the mouthpiece back onto the device. Twist the mouthpiece back on gently until it attaches securely to the pen. 

Make sure the mouthpiece is snug, or else you may have issues with leakage. However, don't force it back in place as that could damage it. 

Step 4) Start Vaping

After replacing the mouthpiece, fire up your device to see if it's working. If you handled all the steps above correctly, you should be able to enjoy your new flavoured e-juice. 

Final Thoughts

With new devices and flavours coming out every year, there seems to be an endless number of new products to try. Vape cartridges provide users with one of the easiest, most convenient ways to enjoy vaping.

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